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Implementing Legislation

Colombia ratified the Singapore Convention on Mediation on 12 March 2026, becoming the twenty-second State party to the Convention. The Convention will enter into force for Colombia six months after the date of ratification, on 12 September 2026.  As of the ratification date, Colombia has not enacted specific legislation expressly giving domestic effect to the Singapore Convention on Mediation.

Nonetheless, Colombia already has an extensive domestic Alternative Dispute Resolution framework. It is primarily governed by Law 2220 of 2022 (“the Mediation Statute”), which entered into force on 30 December 2022 and replaced existing provisions related to mediation issues within Law 640 of 2001.

This Mediation Statute consolidates and develops the main aspects of Colombia’s mediation mechanism, including its initiation, governing principles, and conclusion. Additionally, it expands mediation across different settings such as notaries, police authorities, labour matters, and administrative matters. Lastly, it provides principles for interpretation and sets forth several alternatives through which the mediation proceeding can take place. As Colombia’s domestic regime primarily relies on conciliation, its Mediation Statute and recent ratification provide an institutional foundation that will facilitate the Convention’s operation in practice.

Other National Mediation Laws

In addition, mediation matters are governed by the following:

  1. The Constitution of Colombia 1991 mandates conciliation committees when deciding bills, resulting in mediation becoming more common in Colombia (Article 161). 
  2. The Code of Criminal Procedure, following Law 906 dated 2004, permitted mediation as a framework of Restorative Justice for less serious crimes (Articles 523–527).
  3. The Law 2437 on Corporate Insolvency, dated 2024, gives debtors the option to negotiate reorganisation agreements with creditors through a mediator (Article 7).

Article 133 of Law 2220 establishes the National Mediation System (“Sistema Nacional de Conciliación”) for public policies related to mediation. Helmed by the Ministry of Justice and National Mediation Council, it implements and enforces Colombia’s mediation mechanism to relieve the courts and to guarantee access to justice as a fundamental right.

Relevant Parliamentary Debates/Documents

Press Releases